URBAN LEGENDS IN MEDICINE
THE HEALING PROPERTIES OF TURMERIC AUTHOR Ruchita Agrawal , MD , FAPA
Turmeric is an Indian spice that has been used in Indian /
Asian cooking for centuries . In Indian culture , turmeric is thought to have medicinal value , it is considered to have healing properties . It has been used for over 2,500 years in traditional Indian medicines ( Ayurvedic medicine ) for the treatment of burns , wounds , skin infections , pain and stress . The yellow color and flavor in the Indian curries come from it . I remember growing up , my mom used to give me turmeric mixed in warm milk when I got hurt to help me with pain and healing . She even told me that drinking milk with turmeric would help me remember , so I could do better on my test . I have used turmeric as an ingredient in face masks for its cosmetic properties as well . It is used as a food color with the code of E100 .
Turmeric has been a research interest for several years . The first clinical trial reported in Lancet was in 1937 . There are over 9,000 publications , about 120 clinical trials and several meta-analyses have been done so far . 1 In the last couple of decades , there has been a great interest in turmeric as more and more people turn towards natural treatment .
Turmeric ( Curcuma Longa ) is a perennial herbaceous plant that belongs to the Zingiberaceae family . Turmeric contains about 300 bioactive components but curcumin and demethoxycurcumin are the main components that are considered to have medical properties . Turmeric is considered to have anti-inflammatory , antioxidant , antimicrobial , cardioprotective , anti-neoplastic , anti-rheumatic and immunomodulatory properties . 2 It is thought to modify the inflammatory mediators , transcription factors and protein kinases as well as enzymes like protein reductases and histone acetyltransferase . 1 It is even being considered as something that could cause epigenetic change and help with neurological diseases , diabetes and cancers . It modifies NF-jB signaling , proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin production and phospholipase A2 , COX-2 and 5-LOX activities . It modulates the transmission of signal transducer and activator of transcription , peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-c , activator protein-1 , cAMP responding element-binding protein and estrogen response element . 3 It has been shown to have some properties against mitochondrial dysfunction due to the cytoprotective effect through the transcription factor nuclear factor‐erythroid‐2‐related factor 2 ( Nrf2 ).
There have been several studies done on the usage of turmeric and its metabolites in metabolic syndromes , various types of cancer , infections , arthritis , diabetes , dementia , etc . The growing epidemic of obesity has skyrocketed the rates of dyslipidemia , diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome . Evidence-based treatment at this time for dyslipidemia includes statins , but they come with the potential side effects of myopathy and hepatotoxicity . Not everybody can tolerate statins . A 2017 meta-analysis showed a statistically significant decrease in low-density lipoproteins ( LDLs ) and triglycerides with turmeric use . Turmeric was considered to be very safe and there were no major side effects reported in this study . 4 There is much data showing that curcumin could increase insulin sensitivity by decreasing dyslipidemia and glycemia in studies . 5 , 6
The arthritis sufferers have increased as our population ages . So many people struggle to function despite daily chronic pain due to arthritis . There is no cure for arthritis , so pain management , exercise and weight loss constitute the treatment . Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs ) are used to help with pain and reduce inflammation . Arthritis patients get prescribed opioids to help with pain , but over time , they get dependent on them and still function poorly . We have sought safer alternatives that could help with chronic arthritic pain , and since turmeric is known to have anti-inflammatory properties and has been considered safe for several
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